Our True Colors
by Donny's Boy
Summary: Scootaloo has never really cared much for Pinkie Pie, and she definitely doesn't like the way Pinkie calls her hero "Dashie." But for some strange reason, Pinkie seems fixated on her and insistent on meddling in Scootaloo's life.
1. Chapter 1

"Our True Colors"

by Donny's Boy

* * *

><em>Synopsis: Scootaloo has never really cared much for Pinkie Pie, and she definitely doesn't like the way Pinkie calls her hero "Dashie." But for some strange reason, Pinkie seems fixated on her and insistent on meddling in Scootaloo's life. Whether Scootaloo likes it or not.<em>

* * *

><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

_"You with the sad eyes, don't be discouraged._  
><em>Though I realize it's hard to take courage."<em>  
><em>-Cyndia Lauper, "True Colors"<em>

"You're a ward of the state, now." The large stallion, dressed in heavy plated armor, wore a perfectly blank expression on his broad, serious face. "Please come with us, miss, and we'll take you to the orphanage in Fillydelphia so that you can - "

The little filly didn't wait to hear any more.

She ran.

From behind, she could hear the shouts of the officials as they gave chase but she ignored them. She focused instead on running as fast as she could, faster than she'd ever ran before in her entire life, as the world around her melted into a blur of indistinct colors and shapes. She could sense the grown-up ponies catching up, and she dodged left and right as they tried in futility to grab her.

She was lucky that only earth ponies had been sent for her, though. She wasn't at all sure if she would have been able to stay ahead of pegasi. And, of course, unicorns would have been able to just freeze her with their magic.

It was the only lucky thing that had happened to her lately.

The road came into view on the horizon, foregrounded against a bleak gray sky. She was starting to flag a little - the last few days had been gruelling, emotionally and physically - but she pushed herself onward. Tried to find a second wind. And then, when she spotted something on the road up ahead, she grinned ever so slightly and _did _find that second wind.

A merchant cart. Attached to a pegasus. Who looked about ready to take off.

The filly felt the wind whip through her mane as she headed straight for the cart at a full gallop. The pegasus was facing away from her and, when she finally reached the cart, she slipped in with all the silence and stealth of a ninja. The cart was filled with boxes and books and crates - and a blanket. She quickly pulled the blanket over her head, hiding, and peeked out the back of the cart.

Her pursuers were still coming, but they seemed tired. Too tired to still be yelling.

The filly held her breath.

Just as it seemed the mean government ponies would nab her, the cart began rolling. It picked up speed, faster and faster, until at last it took to the air. Half terrified and half amazed, the filly stared down at the other ponies trapped down on the ground, as they began gesturing wildly and shouting something. But she was too far away to hear what they were shouting. The pegasus didn't seem to hear, either.

She waited until she was high enough that the ponies chasing her looked no bigger than ants, and only then did she let out the breath she'd been holding in. All at once the adrenaline drained out of her system, and she felt very, very tired.

Resting her head on one of the boxes in the cart, she allowed herself to shut her eyes. She told herself she was just giving them a brief rest, just for a few minutes, but soon she was asleep and dreaming.

She dreamt of beautiful rainbows, spanning across the sky in seemingly endless arches, and of impromptu parties held in silos that smelt of rocks and wood and vanilla-frosted cake.

* * *

>"Hey! How come we never have sleep-overs over at <em>your <em>house?"

Scootaloo froze.

Applebloom stared at her expectantly, patiently, while Sweetie Belle chewed on a muffin. The sounds of Sugar Cube Corner - customers chatting, the front door bell tinkling as it opened and closed, Pinkie Pie singing loudly as she pushed a mop around the bakery's main floor - all faded into the background as Scootaloo fought down a sudden surge of panic.

"Yeah!" said Sweetie Belle through a mouthful of muffin. "We should have our next sleep-over at Scootaloo's place!"

The young pegasus' mind raced.

Then, she almost laughed as a brilliant thought came to her. "You can't!" she blurted out. Then, a bit quieter: "I mean, you can't. 'Cause I'm a pegasus pony, and I live in the clouds." She nodded with deep satisfaction at this answer. "That's where pegasi live, y'know. Clouds. Where earth ponies and unicorn ponies can't go."

"Oh," said Sweetie Belle, pouting.

But Applebloom was shaking her head. "Nuh-uh! We can, too! Twilight can do cloud-walkin' spells." She nudged the unicorn with her shoulder. "My sister said that's how they all got up to Cloudsdale to watch Rainbow Dash in the Best Young Fliers competition."

Wide-eyed, Scootaloo swallowed and struggled to think of a back-up plan. It was hard, though, as blind terror started creeping its way up her spine.

"Why don't you girls have your sleep-over here at Sugar Cube Corner?"

The three fillies looked up at the sudden intrusion of a fourth voice. Pinkie stood right beside their table, having seemingly materialized out of thin air, the way she always did. The older pony wore a broad, friendly smile, which she turned towards each of the three fillies in turn. Scootaloo frowned as Pinkie's eyes came to rest on her in particular. Maybe it was just paranoia, but she always felt that Pinkie was paying more attention to her than she did to Sweetie Belle or Applebloom, and it weirded her out a little. Actually, it weirded her out a lot.

"I dunno, Pinkie," the young pegasus said slowly, trying to keep the unease out of her voice. "We don't wanna, y'know, be any trouble. Or anything."

The other two fillies looked at Scootaloo as though she'd been replaced with a pod-pony.

"Oh, don't be silly! It's no trouble at all!" Pinkie beamed. Then, lowering her voice and winking, she added, "And you know what? I bet that Rainbow Dash would just _love _to come help me keep an eye on you girls."

Oh, that was a dirty, tricky, unfair move to make. Scootaloo bit her lip, feeling torn. On the one hoof, _Rainbow Dash_. On the other hoof … Pinkie Pie. It was a dilemma. It really, truly was.

"Aw, c'mon, Scootaloo!" Applebloom gave her a playful shove. "Say yes! It'll be fun!"

Grinning, Sweetie Belle nodded her agreement.

Scootaloo finally sighed in defeat. "Oh, okay. _Fine._"

"Whee!" Pinkie Pie clapped happily before reaching out to pat all three of the girls on their heads. "Oh, this will be the best slumber party ever! Just give me a few days to get everything set up, okie dokie? I need to ask Dashie about when she can come over to help."

Scootalo winced at the odious and disrespectful nickname "Dashie" but chose not to respond otherwise. Instead, she rested her chin on the table while Applebloom started babbling about slumber party plans and Sweetie Belle continued chomp away on her muffin. Feeling suddenly and irrationally peevish, Scootaloo glared as Pinkie bounced away to resume her mopping and singing.

In return, Pinkie shot the pegasus a smile over her shoulder as she left, but it was a weird smile. A _knowing _smile. But just what Pinkie Pie knew was something Scootaloo couldn't even begin to guess.

* * *

>The little filly woke up as soon as the pegasus' cart landed on firm, solid ground. Once the cart rolled to a complete stop, she slowly lifted the edge of her blanket. She glanced around and took stock of her situation.<p>There were little houses and shops all around, with ponies milling here and there. Then, down the street a ways, she spotted it - a building in the shape of a giant cupcake, reaching up into the sky like a beacon of pure, sugary hope. She grinned, just a little weak grin, but she grinned.<p>

The giant cupcake meant that they'd landed in Ponyville, and she liked Ponyville. She'd come here every so often with … with her … She frowned and pushed away the intruding thoughts. Best not to remember right now. Best to just focus on looking for shelter.

Cautiously, the filly snuck out of the cart and darted into a nearby alleyway before the cart's owner could notice anything amiss. She slunk along the ground quickly, searching for somewhere to hide, somewhere safe. After a bit of poking around, she located an empty, overturned apple barrel, and she crawled inside.

It was almost cozy. She felt a deep sense of satisfaction in her accomplishments for the day.

As she settled into her new-found home, she was startled by a sudden rumbling in her stomach, reminding her that she hadn't had a bite to eat since last night's dinner. Frowning, she wondered how she was going to find something to satisfy her hunger. She hadn't had time to grab any snacks or bits from her house before the government ponies had come.

She sighed softly. It was going to be a long day and probably an even longer night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_"In a world full of people, you can lose sight of it all_  
><em>And the darkness inside you can make you feel so small."<em>  
><em>-Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors"<em>

She was hungry.

She'd been hungry before - in fact, her parents had often complained, albeit jokingly and with great affection, that she was eating them out of house and home - but she had never been hungry like this. Her stomach had rumbled at first, and she'd even giggled to herself at the sound, because it sounded a bit like what she imagined a dragon's roar might be like. But then, after a while, the rumbling stopped. After that followed the pain.

Pain pulling her tight, so tight she thought she might rip apart. She'd cried from the pain, and she never cried. She even tried scrounging through the trash bins at night, but the food she'd been able to find only left her vomiting and weak.

Thankfully, the pain only lasted a little while. Once the pain was gone, there was nothing left.

Only emptiness. She felt hollow. Dead.

Every so often, she told herself that she should go try to find something to eat that wouldn't make her sick. Sometimes, she almost even listened to herself. But then she would remember Mother and Father … and her sisters … and … and suddenly, she didn't feel like eating any more. It didn't seem important.

Her dear old Granny would never have countenanced her giving up, however, if she'd still been around. _Gotta stand up tall. Face your fears. _So towards the end of her very first week in Ponyville, the little filly decided that today was going to be the day. She crawled out of the safety of her barrel and, keeping to the shadows as much as possible, carefully made her way to the village marketplace.

It felt strange to venture out in the daylight, and she had to suppress a sigh at that depressing realization. She missed daylight, with its sun and its blue skies and its pretty clouds and its rainbows. Rainbows were still her favorite, of course. Rainbows would always be her favorite.

But today she wasn't hunting rainbows or their pots of gold. Today, she was hunting apples.

* * *

><p>Almost despite herself, Scootaloo grinned as soon as she stepped into Pinkie Pie's small but cozy apartment. Every inch of the space was decked out in streamers, balloons, and all other kinds of party paraphernalia. Pinkie had clearly gone full-tilt for this slumber party.<p>

Scootaloo felt her breath catch in her throat as she spotted a blue, rainbow-maned pegasus in the far corner, hanging up a last batch of balloons. "Rainbow Dash! You're here!"

Dash glanced over her shoulder and flashed a grin. "Heya, squirt. You excited for the sleep-over?"

"You bet!" The younger pegasus nodded happily. "This is gonna be the best slumber party ever!"

"Well, of _course _it is!" Out of nowhere Pinkie Pie had appeared, right next to Scootaloo. She patted the young filly on the head and seemed not to notice Scootaloo's scowl. "Your bestest best friends are gonna be here, and that's what makes for great parties!"

But Scootaloo was spared any further annoying head pats when the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders suddenly burst through the door with loud whoops of laughter and excited chatter. Applejack and Rarity followed not too far behind, looking rather tired for how early in the evening it was.

"Hi, girls!" Pinkie greeted, full of good hostess cheer.

"Hi, Pinkie Pie!" Sweetie Belle and Applebloom beamed up at the older mare for a moment before they spotted their friend. "Scootaloo!"

Together, the unicorn and earth pony tackled the pegasus filly, and the three girls began tussling playfully among the veritable sea of party balloons covering the floor. But out of the corner of her eye, Scootaloo kept watch over the adults. It was always a good idea to keep track of what the adults were doing and saying.

Adults couldn't be trusted, after all. Not really. Not completely.

"Are you _quite _sure you're up to looking after the three of them, darling?" Rarity was asking Pinkie Pie in a careful tone. "They can be rather the handful."

"Oh, don't worry, Rarity!" Pinkie giggled and dismissively waved a hoof. "It'll be easy-peasey, one two threesy."

Abandoning the balloons, Dash flew over to the other adults. With a snort, she added, "Besides, if _Fluttershy _could do it all on her own, I'm sure the _two _of us can handle the little rugrats just fine."

Applejack still looked doubtful. "All right, then. But if you need anythin', anythin' at all, you run and get us lickety-split, y'hear?"

Rarity nodded her enthusiastic agreement. "Oh, yes, yes, please do."

It was odd even to Scootaloo to witness those two very different ponies agree on something. Almost a sign of the apocalypse. It was unsettling, at any rate.

Rolling her eyes, Rainbow started shoving the two overprotective older sisters out the door. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure thing." She gave one last shove, then slammed the door shut behind them.

From the other side of the door came Applejack's stern voice: "I _mean _it, Rainbow Dash!"

But Dash had already turned around again and was rubbing her hooves together gleefully, scheming and mischief sparkling in her eyes. "All right, soliders!" she barked out. "Who here wants to try and earn her cutie mark tonight?"

The girls exploded into a chorus of enthusiastic shouts and cheering. Scootaloo cheered loudest of all.

Meanwhile, Pinkie was pouting a bit. "Aww, Dashie! But what about all my party games?"

"Plenty of time for that later, Pinks." The pegasus grinned and quirked an eyebrow at the three fillies. "So, any of you girls ever try _boulder wrestling_?"

Boulder wrestling, as it quickly turned out, was not as easy as Scootaloo had thought it would be. It was also not her special talent.

It was fun, though. She laughed when Sweetie Belle ended up sprawled on her back, grumbling and spitting out all the tiny pebbles that had somehow gotten lodged in her mouth. She nearly broke her back in trying to boost Applebloom up a particularly large rock, and Appleblom couldn't stop giggling the entire time. And somehow, inexplicably, all three of the Crusaders ended up covered in tree sap. Even though there weren't any trees anywhere near where they'd gone boulder wrestling.

Plus, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie seemed to have a good time, too - they kept calling one of the boulders "Tom" and chortling to one another, anyways, which was admittedly kind of weird, but still. And Dash laughed good-naturedly when Scootaloo tumbled off a boulder and actually reached out to offer her a hoof back up. After Scootaloo was back on all fours, Dash then brushed off all the dirt and grass from her wings and back, the older mare's hooves surprisingly gentle, and Scootaloo wondered if her heart might actually burst from all the joy she felt.

When they returned to the relative safety of Sugar Cube Corner and were greeted by platters piled high with Pinkie Pie's famous cupcakes, that was just the icing on the proverbial cupcake. Well, actually, it was the icing on the literal cupcake, too, now that she thought about it.

But a party was no time to engage in deep philosophical debate. Scootaloo happily dug into the towers of desserts with exuberant abandon, as her two best friends in the whole world right by her side doing the same, all while Rainbow Dash guzzled down punch and made loud belching noises. For once, everything in Scootaloo's life was absolutely perfect.

Maybe that was why, when Pinkie snuck up behind her and enveloped her in one of those powerful, overenthusiastic Pinkie Pie hugs, Scootaloo just sat there and submitted to it. So what if Pinkie was a little too touchy-feely? She was just being Pinkie Pie, after all. It wasn't so bad. So instead of trying to wriggle her way free, as she would on any other day, she just calmly continued eating her cupcake.

While still hugging the filly, Pinkie leaned forward and whispered, in a tone full of concern, "Did you get enough to eat?"

It was an odd question. It shouldn't have been an odd question, but it was. Scootaloo shrugged. "Yeah. Sure. I guess?"

"Because there's _lots _more food, if you didn't." Pinkie's voice was still unusually quiet, and her tone almost urgent. "And … well, if you're ever nearby and get hungry, you just come right over to Sugar Cube Corner, okay? Just come right in, and your Auntie Pinkie Pie will get you whatever your little pegasus heart desires, on the house!"

There was a beat of silence. "Okay," Scootaloo heard herself agree, as if under a spell.

"Good!"

And then Pinkie finally released her hold on the young pegasus and quickly bounced away. It was at the exact same moment that Sweetie Belle found Pinkie's accordion, which she promptly started playing, and that Applebloom started a staring contest with Gummy, which she promptly lost, and just like that, everything was back to normal. It was almost as if that weird little moment with Pinkie Pie had never happened.

Scootaloo decided not to think about it too much. The sleep-over was turning out much better than she'd thought it would, and she didn't want to ruin it. So she didn't think about it.

* * *

><p>Hidden behind a pair of bushes, the little filly peeked out between the bristly leaves and kept close watch over the market's apple stand. She'd originally wanted to go to the bakery - the scents that wafted from that building always smelled so good, and the ponies who worked there always seemed to be happy and smiling - but there were simply too many customers there. She didn't think she'd be able to sneak in without getting caught.<p>

Besides, she'd grown to like this apple farmer, too. She always sounded a bit cranky and irritable, but she had kind, loving eyes - and while it was easy enough to lie with words, it was much harder to lie with your eyes. Plus, the older mare frequently brought her grandchildren along with her to help mind the apple stand, and the filly had dearly missed seeing and talking and playing with other children. Watching these foals in the marketplace, while safely concealed in one of her many hiding places, was almost as good.

Almost.

The two younger apple farmers were there today, in fact. A big red colt, as large and strong as any she'd seen, and a smaller orange filly. Usually they spent their time in the marketplace arranging apples on the stand or engaged in countless wrestling matches, but they were somewhat subdued at the present moment. She didn't know why.

Silently she watched as the colt gave the filly an affectionate nuzzle, and her heart seized in her chest. It had been seeming ages since she'd felt the touch of another pony, since right before … before the accident. Suddenly her body ached with an acute and desperate need to be held, to nuzzle, to cuddle, any and every kind of touch. It hurt worse than being hungry hurt, and it took all of her willpower and self-control to not rush out, throw herself at the two foals before her, and embrace them in a crushing hug.

She decided, then and there, that if she somehow made it through all of this, she would give hugs to every pony she ever met. She would give hugs to every pony who needed them, because _no _pony should have to go without another's friendly touch.

It was one of the best decisions she'd ever made. She was absolutely sure of it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

_"Show me a smile, then, don't be unhappy.  
>Can't remember when I last saw you laughing."<br>-Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors"_

"Hey!" The voice was young but sharp as flint. "You gotta _pay _for them apples!"

She ran.

Darting through the marketplace, her stolen apple grasped firmly between her teeth, the filly threaded her way through crowds of ponies, through merchant stands, through all sorts of obstacles that seemed designed for the express purpose of slowing her down. From behind she could hear a pony galloping after her, but she dared not risk glancing back for fear of stumbling or falling.

She choose not to head directly for her alley. Instead, she ran up streets and down streets, zigzagging through town as though it were a giant maze, until she could no longer hear any trace of her pursuer. Finally, she paused, just long enough to take a look around, and felt a rush of relief when she didn't see anyone behind her. Only then did she creep back to the relative safety of her alley.

Taking one last furtive glance around, she set the apple down next to her barrel. She stared at it longingly and licked her dry, cracked lips.

"I gotcha now! Ya no-good, apple-thievin' varmint!"

She gave a jump and whirled around. Right at the end of the alley stood the orange filly from the marketplace, her legs splayed out in a wide, aggressive stance. As the other earth pony began advancing on her, she shrank back and cowered close to the ground.

Then, something changed - the orange pony's eyes went wide, as though she'd seen a ghost, and she froze right in her tracks.

"Well, lookit you. Yer nothin' but skin and bones ..." The young apple farmer's voice had gone quiet and gentle, no trace left of its earlier harshness. "Aww, shoot. You can … you can keep the apple."

She looked down at the apple then back up. Was this a trick? A trap? She wasn't sure.

"Go on," the other filly urged, nodding, her eyes bright and open and honest.

Frowning a bit, she took a tentative bite, her gaze never leaving the pony in front of her. She chewed awkwardly - it felt foreign and strange to have food in her mouth after all this time.

"The name's Applejack, by the way," the orange filly said, smiling. "How 'bout you?"

She opened her mouth to reply then thought better of it. If she told this pony her name, the mean government ponies might be able to find her, and she didn't want that. She wasn't entirely sure why that was so important, but it was. She couldn't go to Fillydelphia, she just couldn't. It was bad enough that she'd had to leave the farm.

So instead of answering Applejack's question, she just bit off another chunk of apple. Chewing and swallowing went easier with the second bite.

Applejack's smile faltered, a bit. "Uh. Can't ya talk?"

She only stared in reply, munching on the delicious apple and basking in the other pony's presence. A feeling almost like contentment settled over her. It was miles away from anything like happiness or joy, but it was something. She didn't feel quite so empty any more.

Finally, Applejack sighed. "Look, I gotta get back to the apple stand, 'cause I know Granny will be wonderin' where I got off to. But … " She cut her eyes towards towards the entrance of the alleyway. "But I'll meet ya here same time tomorrow, all right? And I'll bring ya another apple."

For a moment she couldn't move, almost couldn't breathe. Then she rocketed forward, throwing her forelegs around Applejack and hugging as tightly as she could. She could hear Applejack let out a soft, surprised grunt. But then, after a moment, she felt the other filly awkwardly return the embrace.

_I'm gonna throw you a party someday, Applejack,_ she promised, silently but fervently. _The biggest and bestest party ever.  
><em>

* * *

><p>Scootaloo stood outside a dark and silent Sugar Cube Corner, paralyzed with indecision. From above the freezing rain beat down on her, soaking her to the bone and causing little prickles of pain along her sensitive wings.<p>

She bit her lip. Pinkie had said she could come by, but surely she meant only during the day? On the other hoof, Pinkie hadn't explicitly said that she could only come during the daytime, so maybe that meant it was okay to drop by at night, too. Ugh, all this thinking was _so _not Scootaloo's thing. She was a filly of action, not contemplation.

She should go, she decided. Quickly she turned around and began slinking away, her head low and her mane plastered to her face. She should go. It was stupid to come here, anyways, she shouldn't have come, she didn't even _like _Pinkie Pie, stupid stupid stupid, why had she even bothered to -

"Scootaloo?"

She stopped. The voice calling her name sounded faint through the thunder and lightening, but it was discernible. Real, not imagined.

"Scootaloo! Hey, Scootaloo! Over here!"

Slowly she turned back around. The front door to Sugar Cube Corner was thrown wide open, warm light streaming from inside, and a familiar-looking silhouette was gesturing wildly from the doorway. Something strange fluttered in Scootaloo's chest, which she ignored. Instead, she walked back towards the bakery, careful to be slow and deliberate, to not seem too eager, and Pinkie Pie yanked her inside as soon as she was within reach.

Mere minutes later, she found herself plunked down into a bathtub full of nice, _warm_, relaxing water. It was an infinitely superior position to be in than stuck outside in the the cold rain, so Scootaloo didn't even protest all that much when Pinkie began lathering her mane with shampoo.

That didn't mean she didn't protest at all, though. "I'm not a baby," she grumbled, throwing in an eye-roll for good measure. "I can wash myself, you know."

"Oh, I know that, silly," Pinkie replied with as much cheerfulness as ever. She began rinsing. "But sometimes it's just really nice to have somepony do things _for _you! Don't you think?"

Scootaloo remembered how it felt when Rainbow Dash had pulled her to her feet and brushed her off. She _remembered _and felt a warm glow at the memory, even as Pinkie's hooves ran through her mane, carefully and painlessly undoing all the tangles and snarls.

"No," said Scootaloo, firmly.

Pinkie seemed to deflate, just a little, but quickly recovered. "Oh. Well, that's okay!" She grabbed a nearby towel and placed it on the edge of the tub. "I'll let you dry yourself off, then."

And then Pinkie Pie was bounding off, heading downstairs, and Scootaloo felt a slight pang as she watched the older pony leave. She hadn't meant to be rude, it was just … she didn't know. She sighed. Stepping out of the tub, she gave herself a thorough shake, picked up the towel, and began drying her dripping mane and coat.

By the time she'd finished, Pinkie had returned upstairs, carrying a tray of goodies in her mouth. Scootaloo eyed the food tray greedily as Pinkie set it down on the large dining table. There was a hay sandwich and hot chocolate and a slice of pie almost the size of Scootaloo's head. Scootaloo's stomach growled, quite loudly.

She glanced up at Pinkie Pie and felt suddenly and strangely hesitant.

"Go on!" Pinkie urged, nodding, her eyes bright and open and laughing.

That was all she needed. The young pegasus hungrily attacked the tray of food, gulping down huge bites and slurping noisily at the hot chocolate. It was delicious. It was perfect. Once or twice, she lifted her eyes and glanced over at Pinkie in a self-conscious way, but each time the older mare just grinned and motioned for her to continue eating. So she did.

After she finished, she sat back with a contented groan. A warm, happy fullness spread slowly through her body, and she struggled to stifle a yawn.

Still grinning, Pinkie Pie gave the pegasus a wink, took up the food tray again, and trotted back downstairs. Scootaloo finally gave in to the urge to yawn as soon as the other pony left the little apartment. She took a look around the room, as though seeing it for the very first time, and, as if in answer to her every last prayer, she spotted a pile of pillows near the window.

She headed over to the pillows and told herself that she'd just lay down for a little while. Maybe shut her eyes. Just to give them a tiny bit of a rest. Just for a while.

When she awoke, everything was dark, and she had no idea where she was. A bolt of panicky terror shot through her heart like lightning. _Not good. Not, good, not good, not good -_

There was a loud, braying snore that ended in a snort.

_- wait, was I ponynapped by a lumberjack?_

Groggily she shook her head, trying to clear it. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the scant light around her and, as they did, she could make out the footboard of a bed. A small alligator sat there, blinking unevenly. His creepy purple eyes gleamed in the darkness.

_Pinkie's apartment,_she realized with a start. She was still at Pinkie's. Scootaloo wasn't sure whether she should find this reassuring or not, though.

As her eyes continued to scan the room, she spotted the source of all the noise, which was Pinkie Pie herself, curled up in a chair with a blanket, snoring away. Scootaloo couldn't help but crack a grin at the fact that the pink earth pony was just as loud asleep as she was awake. Then she glanced out the window and saw that the rain had finally stopped.

She should leave. Surely Pinkie wanted her bed back and, besides, Scootaloo had better places to be. So she should go.

She didn't want to go.

Maybe it'd be okay to stay, then, just this once. Maybe.

With a quiet yawn, Scootaloo snuggled further into Pinkie Pie's bed and under its mess of blankets. They were soft and warm and smelled vaguely of cotton candy. It was a sweet smell - a little too sweet, really - but it wasn't so bad. Sleepily she wondered why Pinkie hadn't even bothered to ask why Scootaloo had just shown up on her doorstop, in the middle of the night, in the rain, but she was too tired to really pursue the thought very far. She quickly fell back into a restful, dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>"You keep eatin' that fast, yer gonna choke." Applejack sounded amused.<p>

This was the fourth day in a row that Applejack had returned to her little alley. The fourth day that Applejack had come back to her, bearing the gifts of a friendly smile and a delicious apple. She still felt a bit nervous about it all, a bit worried about those government ponies who she was certain still wanted to take her away, but she couldn't deny that she cherished having a bit of company. The alley could get lonely sometimes. Well, a lot of the time.

All of the time, really.

"Seriously now - slow down, sugar cube! That apple ain't goin' nowhere."

But she couldn't. Even when she tried, she couldn't make herself slow down. It was as though, if she didn't eat the apples as quickly as possible or dared glance away for even a second, they might magically disappear. It was a silly fear, but it was a real fear nonetheless. And it struck down to the very bottom of her heart.

Applejack sighed, the way she always did when she realized her nice, sensible words were going to be steadfastly ignored. Then, in a completely different tone of voice, she said, "I gotta find something to call ya. I told ya _my _name, so it's only fair."

At last the filly glanced up from her apple, her curiosity at least momentarily winning out over her hunger.

The orange pony was squinting at her thoughtfully. "Can't think of anything good, though. You don't ever say nothin' to me, so it's not like there's much I know about ya. Really, all's I know is that you're pink all over, and … " Suddenly Applejack's eyes lit up. "Hey, yeah, that's it! _Pinkie! _I'll call ya Pinkie!"

The little filly tilted her head, considering the proposed name. _Pinkie._ Nopony had ever called her that before, but instantly, she decided that she liked the nickname. Decided that Pinkie was somepony she could be. Was who she _would _someday be.

Forgetting all about her apple for the moment, Pinkie smiled at the orange earth pony - smiled at her friend - and Applejack smiled back.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"_But I see your true colors, shining through.  
><em>_I see your true colors, and that's why I love you."  
><em>_-Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors"_

It was getting harder and harder not to speak.

When they sat together in Pinkie Pie's alley, Pinkie would quietly eat her apple and Applejack would talk to her while she ate. Usually the orange farm pony would chat about harmless little topics, such as school or the apple orchards or the next big rodeo, but every so often, she'd touch a nerve. Always inadvertently, of course, but even so. Even so, it would _hurt - _but not as much as it hurt to stay silent.

" … and I ain't never heard a baby cry as much as Applebloom does! D'you reckon there's somethin' wrong with her? I asked Granny Smith, but Granny said she's just teethin', but I don't know why that'd make her cry." Applejack cocked her head a bit. "You ain't got any sisters, do ya?"

And every day, it grew a bit harder to resist. To keep her mouth shut.

" … always lots o' hard work on a farm. But it sure beats the fancy city life. Didn't enjoy a single minute of the time I stayed in Manehattan, I tell you what. Say, you ever been to a farm?"

It wasn't that she distrusted Applejack. There probably wasn't a pony she trusted_ more_ in her entire life. No, it was the entire rest of the world that she was unsure of.

"... gotta admit I feel lucky for havin' met ya, Pinkie. To tell the truth, me and Big Mac were feelin' awful sad that day ya stole the apple. 'Cause that day, we'd just come to the market straight from … " She hesitated. Awkwardly cleared her throat. "From the cemetery. Was a year ago to the day that our Ma and Pa passed away."

It was getting harder and harder not to speak. Too hard.

"My parents died, too," whispered Pinkie, her voice low and rough from disuse, the words like gravel in her mouth.

Applejack gave a jump, and her eyes went wide with surprise. "You! You can _talk!_"

"Of course I can talk, silly." Pinkie smiled, a bit wanly. "Why wouldn't I be able to talk?"

The other pony just stared, utterly speechless, utterly dumbfounded, with her jaw hanging wide open. Her round green eyes blinked owlishly, once, then twice.

Slowly Pinkie crept forward and wrapped her front legs around Applejack, a gentle but firm embrace. She buried her face in her friend's coarse, straw-colored mane. "I'm really sorry about your parents, Applejack," she murmured, as her eyes began stinging in an all too familiar way.

"Uh, thanks. I mean … Thanks, Pinkie." One of Applejack's hooves reached up to rest lightly on Pinkie's back. "Yours, too, huh?"

Pinkie nodded. "Uh-huh. And my sisters. I had two sisters."

After a moment's hesitation, Applejack gave her a nuzzle. "I'm … I'm mighty sorry 'bout yer family," she muttered, her voice sounding muffled and far away.

"Does it … does the pain ever go away, Applejack?"

Pinkie knew that her friend wouldn't lie to her, and Applejack didn't. "No. No, it don't. But it don't always hurt so bad as it hurts at first."

"Oh."

For several long minutes the two fillies just sat there, holding one another, together in a dark and dingy alley, and not a word passed between them. They didn't speak, and they didn't cry, and they didn't yell or scream. They just held each other and listened to each other's breaths. Just held each other and took comfort in the steady drumbeat of the other filly's broken but still-beating heart.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Pinks! You in?"<p>

With a fierce grin, Scootaloo looked up from the table where she was seated doing homework. Immediately the table, where her school books laid spread out amidst piles of cupcakes and apples and multi-colored party hats, was completely forgotten.

"Rainbow Dash!"

Twinkling rose-colored eyes turned in her direction. "Oh! Heya, squirt!"

In a flash Scootaloo had pushed away from the table and tackled Rainbow Dash to the floor with a happy laugh, while Dash let out a grunt upon impact. They laid there for a split second, a tangle of limbs and wings, and Scootaloo had to resist the strong and sudden urge to bury her face in Dash's mane. Instead, she just hugged the older pegasus as tight as she could. With a chuckle, Dash quickly wiggled herself free of the embrace and stood back up, shaking out her ruffled wings a bit as she did.

Scootaloo hopped back up, too. She couldn't stop grinning.

"You have been spending _way _too much time with Pinkie Pie," Dash complained, albeit good-naturedly, as she gave Scootaloo's head an affectionate tussle.

"Too much time with Pinkie Pie? _Never!_" came a cheery voice from behind. The two pegasi turned around in time to see the mistress of the house come galloping up to them. "Hiya, Dashie!"

Rainbow gave the earth pony a casual nod in greeting. "We're still on for pranks today, right? 'Cause I so _totally_ owe one to a certain uptight, stick-in-the-mud, fun-hating apple farmer."

"Oh, absolutively posilutely! You know I look forward to prank day all week!" Then Pinkie frowned thoughtfully. She glanced towards Scootaloo, and Scootaloo tensed up. "Um, Dashie? I was wondering if, y'know, just for today, we could, uh … "

The adult pegasus' wings drooped, just the tiniest bit. "Oh. Um. I mean … " Dash suddenly put on a smile. "Aww, sure, why not? You wanna come play pranks with us, Scootaloo?"

Scootaloo held her breath. "You … you really want me to come with you guys?"

"Of _course _we do, silly filly!" exclaimed Pinkie, so enthusiastically and with a smile so bright that the orange pegasus almost believed her.

Then, when Rainbow Dash didn't say anything for a moment, Pinkie gave her a hard nudge with her hip, and the pegasus snapped to sudden attention. "Yeah! Yeah, of course we do," Rainbow agreed, nodding rapidly. "So go grab your scooter, and let's get this show on the road!"

The prank, as it turned out, involved hiding the dozens of bushels of apples they'd found in the Apple family's barn and replacing them with an equivalent number of carrots. Scootaloo didn't even know where Pinkie had gotten all of those carrots, or how she'd transported them out to the farm before even knowing that's where the prank would be, and against her better instincts, she'd been tempted to actually question the strange pink pony on the matter.

But then she caught sight of Rainbow Dash slowly shaking her head at her and mouthing the words _"Don't ask_,_"_ and she decided it was probably a good idea to listen to Dash. Dash had more experience in dealing with the mysteries of Pinkie Pie, after all.

Just seconds later, Applejack walked into the barn and froze at once upon entering. A series of very interesting expressions passed over Applejack's face as the farmer stared at the mounds and mounds of carrots, and a series of very amusing sounds that were not quite words came pouring out of Applejack's mouth.

Then, the farmer's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Pinkie and Rainbow," she quietly muttered, in a tone filled with calm resignation.

Safely hidden behind a bale of hay, Scootaloo glanced over to Dash and Pinkie, who were grinning hugely and stifling giggles. She wondered if they would end up in trouble and chewed nervously on her lower lip. She hoped not. It might make it rather awkward to have Cutie Mark Crusaders meetings at the clubhouse if Applejack banned her from Sweet Apple Acres.

"Y'all might as well come on out and pay the piper," the farm pony called out to the seemingly empty barn. "I _know _y'all are in here."

Almost instantly Pinkie bounded out from behind the hay bales and launched herself at Applejack like a pink missile of sugar-fueled joy. The two earth ponies fell to the floor of the barn as Pinkie happily threw her forelegs around Applejack's neck. With a sigh and a chuckle, Applejack put a foreleg around Pinkie's shoulders and hugged her back.

"Hiya, AJ!" The pink mare giggled. "Didja like our prank? Didja, didja, didja?"

Applejack gently shoved Pinkie off top of her before standing back up. She readjusted her hat. "Howdy there, Pinkie Pie. Prank was just grand. Now, where'd you put all my apples?"

Rainbow Dash's head popped up from behind the hay. "They're up in the rafters," she replied, pointing with a hoof. Then, with a wide grin, she grabbed Scootaloo from where she was crouching behind the hay, still hiding, and hauled the young pegasus to her feet. "It was Scoots' idea, actually. To put all the apples up there."

Flinching a bit, Scootaloo smiled weakly and gave Applejack a tepid wave.

"You too, huh?" With an amused snort, the farm pony added, "Good to see these pair o' loons have been such a good influence on ya."

"Hey, I'm a _great _influence!" Dash shot back, thumping her own chest with a forehoof. "If the kid sticks with me, she might just turn out to be half as awesome as I am. Someday. Maybe."

But Applejack wasn't listening any more. She was staring at Pinkie, eyes sharp and intent, and Pinkie was returning her stare with an unreadable expression on her face. Scootaloo felt all of the good feelings that had been building up inside her chest in response to Rainbow Dash's praise suddenly drain away. Her stomach fluttered in a familiar, unpleasant way, and she silently braced herself for … for whatever was going to come next.

Pinkie broke her gaze with Applejack and looked over to Dash. In an overly bright voice, she said, "Hey, Dashie! Why don't you take Loo-Loo out for a quick flight lesson?"

Scootaloo immediately frowned at the nickname. That was new. Pinkie had never called her that before, and she was pretty sure it was the worst nickname that the pony could have possibly invented for her.

But before she could begin to form a proper protest, Dash was already replying.

"Uh. Yeah, okay. Sure?" The older pegasus' eyes moved back and forth between the two earth ponies, and she seemed almost nervous. "Actually, Pinks, that's a great idea." She clapped Scootaloo on the back. "You wanna go learn about hovering and take-offs, kiddo?"

"Would I?" The words were out of Scootaloo's mouth in an instant, before she could think better of them - an uncontrollable and automatic response to an offer to spend time with her hero. "Would I _ever_, Rainbow Dash!"

And then, before she could change her mind, Dash was ushering her towards the door of the barn and practically shoving her outside. Scootaloo was able to sneak a glance over her shoulder right before she was dragged all the way out, and Pinkie gave her a reassuring smile and a wave. Applejack simply frowned.

But despite Pinkie's smile, the bad feeling in Scootaloo's stomach didn't go away. Adults couldn't be trusted, after all. Not really. Not completely.

So she walked slower than she usually would, as Rainbow Dash cantered ahead, babbling about flight techniques and air resistance and Sonic Rainbooms. They seemed to be heading for the farmyard. Scootaloo slowed down even more. Dash didn't seem to notice as Scootaloo fell farther and farther behind and, once they were far enough separated, Scootaloo quietly turned around and skulked back up to the barn.

The barn door was open a crack, and she leaned as close to the door as she could without actually touching it. Straining to listen, she could just barely make out the voices of the two ponies who were still inside.

"She's still way too dang thin." That was Applejack. She sounded … angry? Sad, maybe?

"I know." Pinkie's voice. Definitely sad.

"Don't get me wrong, now, she's doin' loads better than she was. But she still - "

"I _know_."

Applejack sighed deeply. "It's not that I ain't sympathetic here, Pinkie. I just wonder if … I just don't know if it's enough, all we're doin'. That's all. I think we really oughta - "

"No, Applejack!" Scootaloo had never heard a tone like that from Pinkie before, and she could feel the fur on the back of her neck stand up. But that harsh note in Pinkie's voice disappeared completely a second later, as the pink earth pony quickly added, "I'm super sorry, AJ - I didn't mean to sound like such a meany pants. But she really, really needs her friends."

"She needs somethin' more permanent, is what she needs. She still ain't comin' to yer place but once or twice a week, and that just ain't enough. She needs _food_."

It was Pinkie's turn to sigh. "You can starve for things other than food, you know. You can starve for friendship, or for laughter, or for love …"

There was a long silence. Finally, the farmer let out a soft whinny. "Well, shoot. If'n you weren't standin' right in front of me, pink as ever, I'd have sworn I just heard Twilight Sparkle talkin' to me right then."

"Huh? Twilight?"

"Yes, ma'am. Just now, you sounded 'bout as wise as she does when she's writin' to the princess." There was another silence, shorter this time. "Speakin' of Twilight, though …"

"What _about _Twilight?" Pinkie's question crackled with nervous energy.

"She's gonna figure things out eventually. She's got her blind spots, sure enough, but she ain't stupid. And when she does figure it out? Well, you know she's gonna want to write to Princess Celestia."

"We're just so close, AJ. We're so _close _to finding her somewhere where she can - "

Scootaloo's attention was distracted by a slight rustling noise from behind.

"Hey, squirt."

The voice was quiet, gentle, but very, very close. Disturbingly close. Almost involuntarily, Scootaloo gave a jump and whirled around. Her wings spread out in a reflexive, defensive display.

Rainbow Dash stood directly behind her, almost close enough to touch. Her eyes were sad, and Scootaloo felt suddenly sick and dizzy with confusion, because Rainbow Dash's eyes weren't supposed to ever look that sad.

"You probably shouldn't spy on other ponies like that," said the older mare, but there was no heat in her voice, no anger. Just the same sadness that pervaded her deep, pink eyes.

_She knows_.

Scootaloo's heart began thundering against her ribs, threatening to break through her chest, threatening to explode like a cannon. She tried to swallow the saliva in her mouth, but it choked her.

_They know._

Slowly Scootaloo began backing away, and Dash took a step forward, looking concerned. "Whoa. You okay there, Scoots?"

_They all know._

She ran.

* * *

><p>"Do ya trust me?"<p>

Pinkie felt a thrill of fear as soon as she heard the words. But Applejack was staring at her with those wide, green eyes, her face a completely open book, and there was nothing but friendliness and affection in those eyes and in that face. Almost despite herself, Pinkie felt herself tentatively nod her head.

"Good. Glad to hear it, sugar." Applejack grinned. "'Cause there's somepony I want ya to meet."

She glanced towards the entrance of the alleyway, and Pinkie followed her friend's gaze. Right there stood the apple farmer from the marketplace, Applejack's grandmother.

Granny Smith.

Almost involuntarily, Pinkie began backing away. A wave of trembling ran up and down her body, and her stomach gave a sudden lurch. She forced herself to take a deep breath. _Gotta stand up tall. Face your fears._ She raised her head and looked Applejack's grandmother in the eye.

"Yer a scrawny little thing, ain't ya?" said the elderly mare, her voice blunt and her eyes unblinking. "You got yerself a name?"

Pinkie swallowed. She sneaked a glance over to Applejack, who simply smiled and gave her a reassuring nod. "P-Pinkie," the little filly finally replied, in a voice that was hardly more than a whisper. "My name's Pinkie Pie."

Granny Smith took a few steps further into the alley. She cast a look around, taking in their surroundings, and frowned when she spotted all the trash bins and garbage. "And this where you been livin'?"

Unsure of what she should say, of what would be the right answer, Pinkie decided to simply go with the truth. "Yes, ma'am."

Something dark and unreadable passed over the older mare's face, and Pinkie quavered on all four hooves. But the fearsome expression was gone almost as quickly as it came, and Granny Smith lowered her head, so that she and Pinkie were now at the same eye level.

"Hey now, filly." Granny Smith's voice had gentled, just a touch, and Pinkie could hear in her tone some of the same rough tenderness with which Applejack always spoke. "I ain't gonna hurt ya none."

"I … I know. You're Applejack's grammy, and I know Applejack wouldn't let anything bad happen."

"But yer still scared, ain't ye?"

Biting her lip, Pinkie slowly nodded.

"Well, lucky for you, I know just the trick for that." Granny Smith gave her a smile and a wink. "A cupcake from Sugar Cube Corner oughta fix ya right up, I reckon. Whaddaya say, filly?"

There was only one possible answer to that, of course. All three of them knew it. And very slowly, very cautiously, Pinkie smiled back.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes: Pinkie Pie episode tomorrow! FINALLY! It has been a long cold winter for we Pinkie Pie fans, I tells ya. My heart goes out to the Fluttershy and Applejack fans—may you have your fave pony centric episodes soon, my brothers and sisters.<em>


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

_"If this world makes you crazy, and you've taken all you can bear_  
><em>You call me up, because you know I'll be there."<em>  
><em>-Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors"<em>

The cupcake was almost the size of her entire head. It stood on the counter in front of her, tall, proud, a visionary masterpiece of chocolate cake and vanilla frosting. Pinkie nearly wept at the beauty of it all. Her mouth watered, and she licked her lips.

It was almost too difficult to tear her eyes away from the glorious treat, but she forced herself to do so, just so she could take another look around the bakery. Because the bakery itself was every inch as beautiful as the cupcake that it had produced. The interior had been decorated in warm, rich colors, such a lovely and stark contrast to the gray monotony with which she'd grown up. A majestic symphony of tasty scents wafted through the entire shop, and the happy chatter and laughter of the bakery customers rang through the air like church bells.

Pinkie didn't know if there was a heaven or not, but if there was, she was absolutely certain that it must look exactly like Sugar Cube Corner.

From somewhere to her left, Granny Smith issued a soft snort. "Well, go on, filly! That there cupcake ain't gonna eat itself."

That finally broke Pinkie out of her reverie. Without any further ado she lunged forward and buried her face in the cupcake, happily breathing in its sweet, sugary scent as she began devouring the dessert. It was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten in her entire life. Ever.

After she'd finished, she leaned back with a heartfelt, satisfied sigh.

"Oh … my," came a quiet voice from behind. Pinkie glanced over and saw a light blue mare with a pink mane staring at her with undisguised wonder. "You sure can put away food in rather a hurry, can't you, dearie?"

Over to Pinkie's right, Applejack chuckled as she ate her own cupcake at a more leisurely pace. She replied while still chewing, spraying crumbs rather indiscriminately as she said, "Shucks, Mrs. Cake! Y'think that was somethin'? You shoulda seen the way she gobbled down the apples I been givin' her."

Mrs. Cake favored the two fillies with an indulgent smile. "I can imagine! I must say, it does warm my heart to see my baking being enjoyed so much."

Grinning widely, Pinkie gave her small belly a pat. "Oh gosh, Mrs. Cake, of _course _I enjoyed it! That was the bestest cupcake I've ever had!"

"That's very sweet of you to say, Pinkie." Suddenly the bakery owner's eyes darted over to Granny Smith, and Granny Smith gave a slight nod. "Actually, dear? I was wondering …"

Pinkie Pie tensed up immediately. She could feel Applejack lean against her, in a friendly sort of way, but she dared not take her eyes off the adults.

For her own part, Mrs. Cake's smile never wavered. "I was just wondering if you'd like to learn to bake cupcakes, too? Well, all sorts of desserts, really."

The little pink filly swallowed. She didn't trust herself to speak.

"Carrot and I are doing more and more business lately," Mrs. Cake continued on, in a slightly nervous tone, as she sneaked another glance towards Applejack's grandmother, "and we'd love to have some help around the bakery."

Applejack gave Pinkie a nudge with her shoulder. "Hey, now. I bet you'd make a real fine baker!"

Mrs. Cake nodded in enthusiastic agreement. "Most certainly! And … only if you'd like to, dearie, mind you … you could also stay here with Carrot and I at Sugar Cube Corner."

It was too much. All of it, everything, it was too much. Pinkie collapsed to the bakery floor and began sobbing, curling inwards on herself as she cried and not knowing just why she was crying so hard. She heard Applejack and her granny muttering to one another, but their words were too soft for her to quite make them out. Then, she felt somepony kneel down close beside her, somepony warm and soft, and Pinkie caught the faintest whiffs of vanilla and cocoa.

"Shh. It's all right," whispered the baker soothingly, as she gave the filly a brief nuzzle. "Don't you worry, dearie - you don't have to decide anything right this moment. We really shouldn't have overwhelmed you like that." She dropped a gentle kiss onto the top of Pinkie's head. "Everything's going to be all right."

After a moment's hesitation, Pinkie surrendered herself to the older mare's embrace, craving the comfort of physical affection and unable to stop herself even if she'd wanted to. But really, she wasn't at all sure that she _did _want to stop herself. Because right then and there, for the first time in a long time, she felt as though maybe things possibly could be all right someday.

* * *

><p>Scootaloo felt cold. She unfurled her wings as far as they'd go, then wrapped them tightly around herself in an attempt to retain some of her body heat.<p>

It didn't really work.

Tucking her chin against her chest, she hunkered down in her hiding place and regretted that she hadn't thought to swipe a blanket or something from Sweet Apple Acres before she'd taken off. Bitterly she wondered how she was supposed to get herself out of this whole mess. She couldn't hide here forever - that much she knew - but she had no idea where she could go or what she could do.

All she knew was that she couldn't leave Ponyville. She'd briefly considered it, but even just the thought of that possibility caused her chest to seize up so painfully that she felt like she'd taken a kick to the ribs. No, she couldn't leave Ponyville. Everything she'd done, everything she'd fought for, had been so that she could stay. So that she could stay in this town with the ponies and places she loved so dearly.

Hidden as she was, she could still see a bit of sky. She frowned when she noticed that tiny white flecks were beginning to drift slowly through the air, and she stifled a sigh. Snow. Great. Just great.

It was going to be a long, cold night.

She slept fitfully as the night wore on, her every sense set to high alert. She woke up at the tiniest of noises - at the soft hoot of a nearby owl, at the rustling of the wind through the streets, at the grumbling of her own empty stomach. And Scootaloo awoke when she heard the sudden intrusion of voices coming from down below.

"I can't believe ya just let 'er get away! You, the fastest flier in all Equestria!"

"Hey, it wasn't my fault! She was on her little scooter, and she's a lot speedier on that thing than you'd think. Besides, I was totally right behind her all the way up until she disappeared into the Everfree." A frustrated growl. "Stupid trees made it so I couldn't see where she went after that ..."

"Oh, for the love of all things fashionable, please don't start _that _up again, you two! You'll just make Fluttershy cry, and the poor dear can only be expected to stand so much in one day."

"T-thank you, Rarity, but really … I'm okay …"

There came a sigh, exasperated and all too familiar. "I just wish we'd been able to find her somewhere in those woods, since we lost all those daylight hours searching the Everfree." Then, a guilty tone. "Ugh, I wish this search and rescue spell worked more precisely than it does! I can tell we're getting nearer and that she's somewhere here in Ponyville, but I can't really feel exactly _where_. Maybe if I'd practised doing - "

_"Wait!"_

Scootaloo felt every muscle in her body coil up, tight and angry, as though preparing for a fight. She held her breath and waited.

Down below, the other ponies were startled into a momentary hush, before Twilight asked, "What? What is it, Pinkie Pie?"

"She's here, guys." Pinkie speaking now. A hint of steel in her voice. "Somewhere really, really close."

"Darling, how can you possibly - "

"How does Pinkie Pie know any of the stuff she knows?"

"All right, everypony." Twilight again. Talking in that take-charge, leader-like way of hers. "Let's fan out to search the area and see if we can find anything. We'll meet back right here in ten minutes, okay?"

Scootaloo could hear faint mutterings as the ponies dispersed. She knew better than to relax, though. Knew better than to let down her guard. And she felt utterly vindicated when, only a few minutes later, she heard the soft clop of hooves come from behind and the quiet voice that suddenly cut through the darkness.

"Hiya, Loo-Loo."

The pegasus refused to turn around. "I hate that name," she muttered, her teeth chattering a bit as she spoke, "and I hate you."

Pinkie Pie didn't reply, but the sound of her footsteps came closer and closer. Scootaloo both felt and heard the other pony settle down beside her, near enough that she could feel the warmth from Pinkie's body. For several long moments, Scootaloo didn't move, and neither did Pinkie. Then the younger pony shifted over a bit. She nestled against the mare's soft side and drank in the pleasant heat like a lizard might bask on a rock on a nice spring day.

Still Pinkie didn't speak. Instead, she simply wrapped a foreleg around Scootaloo's shoulders and pulled her closer. They sat there in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity but was probably only a minute or two. Slowly but surely, the younger pony stopped shivering.

"How'd you even find me?" Scootaloo found herself asking. "Did you use your Pinkie sense?"

"Nah, not for this. I just asked myself, _Self, where could Scootaloo be hiding? _And then I thought about it, and then I answered myself, and I said, _Self, I bet she would hide just where Rainbow Dash would hide!_"

Scootaloo blinked in surprise. "Rainbow Dash would hide here? In the schoolhouse bell? Really?" She glanced around, at the cold smooth metal of the large bell that surrounded them on all sides, before turning her head to finally look at Pinkie.

Pinkie grinned. "Oh, no! Not just _would _hide … but _did _hide!"

"Huh." Scootaloo sat with this knowledge for a few moments, unsure of what to think or how to respond, before venturing, "Rainbow Dash is really brave, so how come she was hiding? Was there a monster?"

"Oh. Um. Kinda? It was … kinda something like that …" Pinkie lapsed into nervous giggling. "But anyways! The real question here is, why are _you _hiding?"

Scootaloo stared down at her hooves. Feeling that same uncomfortable flutter in her stomach that she'd felt back at Applejack's barn, she said nothing. Pinkie's hug tightened a bit and, after a moment, Scootaloo let out the breath she'd been holding in. "I don't wanna leave," she confessed, very quietly, as though afraid to say the words aloud.

There was a short pause. When Pinkie spoke, her voice was unusually solemn. "You won't have to."

"But … but I don't - "

"We'll make sure you won't have to. I promise." Suddenly Pinkie's hooves were cupping Scootaloo's face, gently lifting her chin and forcing the young pegasus to look up at the older pony. "I _promise_, Scootaloo. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

From listening to conversations Rarity had had with Sweetie Belle, and from Applejack talking to Applebloom, Scootaloo knew of the utter sanctity and seriousness of a Pinkie Pie promise. Especially from hearing that one story about the time Applejack went to work at a cherry orchard.

Scootaloo bit her lip. "Okay," she allowed, her voice little more than a whisper. She wasn't entirely sure just what she was agreeing to.

"Oh, yay!" With a sudden, fierce grin, Pinkie let go of the filly and jumped to her feet. "Why don't we go round up the girls and head over to Sugar Cube Corner to get all warm and toasty? I can make us hot chocolate again!"

Scootaloo found herself standing up, as well, almost as if her hooves had a mind of their own. To be honest, hot chocolate sounded like a really good idea right about then. To be honest, it sounded perfectly heavenly. As Pinkie began eagerly bounding down the ladder that led from the bell tower back to the ground, Scootaloo followed close behind.

Pinkie turned around and flashed a tiny smile as soon as she reached the bottom. "Hey, on the way back to Sugar Cube Corner, I can tell you a story."

Scootaloo couldn't quite resist the urge to roll her eyes. "And what story are you gonna tell me? The one about how Equestria was made?"

"No, silly, you already know _that _one." Pinkie snorted in mirth. But then her voice dropped low, and her face took on a serious expression. "No, Loo-Loo, I'm gonna tell you the story about how I made my very first friend ever in Ponyville. It started way back when I was an itty bitty filly and still living on my parents' rock farm." Together the two ponies began walking away from the schoolhouse, as Pinkie Pie continued speaking. "There was a really bad accident … a rock slide over in the west field …"

* * *

><p>"Are you done cleaning in there yet, dearie?"<p>

The little pink filly came prancing out of the kitchen, a dishrag held between her teeth. With a jaunty toss of her head, she sent the rag flying all the way across the room, where it landed in a bucket of water with a small splash.

"All done, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie chirped. "Sorry again about the teeny tiny explosion in the oven."

After blinking dazedly at the water bucket for a few seconds, Mrs. Cake recovered herself enough to reply, "Oh, that's all right, Pinkie. The muffins got finished on time, and that's the important thing." Her eyebrows knit together. "Though I'm still not quite sure how cookie batter ended up on the _ceiling _…"

Pinkie just giggled.

Mr. Cake walked out of the kitchen next, grinning broadly. "Well, since a certain pink pony's been such a good little helper in the bakery today, I think she should get a reward now that her shift's over. Don't you think so, Cup?"

Mrs. Cake returned her husband's grin with one of her own. "Why, Carrot, I think that's a wonderful idea."

"And what do _you _think, Pinkie?" asked Mr. Cake, turning to the filly in question.

Pinkie Pie's eyes lit up like fireworks on the night of the Grand Galloping Gala. "Yes! Oh, pretty please!" The filly began hopping excitedly around the room, a fluffy pink pinball of energy, and drew amused chuckles from both the Cakes. "I think _yes_, Mr. Cake! Reward! Ooh! Yay!"

Mr. Cake reached out with a hoof and gently grabbed Pinkie by the shoulder. "Now, settle down, or else you won't be able to see your choices."

Immediately the young pony froze, as if Celestia herself had commanded it. Her eyes went as wide as saucers. "I get to _choose?_" she murmured, in an awed and reverent tone.

"Why, certainly, dearie!" Mrs. Cake took a step back and gestured towards the bakery's display case. "You can choose whichever muffin, cookie, or cupcake you'd like."

Leaping forward, Pinkie pressed her snout against the cool, smooth glass of the display. Her breath quickly fogged up the glass, and she wiped her foreleg across the case's window to clear the view as she gazed in rapture. There were rows upon rows of enticing treats, almost too many to bear to look upon. Finally, she spotted the perfect one.

"That one," she said, jabbing her small pink hoof towards one of the muffins. "Can I have that one?"

"Of course you can!"

Soon enough, the muffin of her desire was all packaged up, nice and neat, and Pinkie Pie was carrying off her spoils in triumph. Immediately she set off towards the marketplace at a brisk trot. On her way there, she passed by a number of ponies whom she'd come to recognize over the last few weeks and gave each a bright smile. She received a smile and a nod from each pony in turn, and she felt so incredibly happy. The happiness welled within her chest to such an extent, in fact, that she thought she just might explode. Maybe even twice.

She reached the marketplace in just a few minutes, and with little trouble she found the Apple family's fruit stand. Granny Smith and Big Macintosh greeted her with cheery waves as soon as they spotted her making her way towards them, but Applejack didn't so much as crack a grin.

"Why so glum, chum?" Pinkie asked her friend, as soon as she was within speaking range.

The orange filly shrugged. "Oh, don't mind me. Just feelin' a bit sore still on account of some prissy white unicorn filly who came by earlier this morning. Said I was gettin' mud all over the apples." She huffed a bit and stamped her foot. "Ain't no mud on my hooves! I washed 'em just three days ago!"

Pinkie set down her package and grabbed one of Applejack's hooves between her own. She studied it carefully. "Nope! You're right. No mud."

Applejack yanked back her leg and rolled her eyes. "I know! That's what I said! Silly fuss-budget unicorn ..." She glanced towards the package. "But that's enough o' my belly-achin'. Whatcha got there, sugar cube?"

"Oh!" Pinkie had already forgotten that she'd brought something with her, but now that she'd remembered, she began hopping up and down in excitement. "It's a present, Applejack! A present for _you!_"

Pinkie swiftly knelt down to pick it back up, and she placed it up on top of the apple stand so that it was within easy reach of her friend.

With a small but genuine grin, the other filly tore open the package. "Well, boy howdy! A muffin?" She took a sniff. "And it's an apple walnut muffin, too, if my nose don't deceive me."

"Sure is!"

"Ya didn't have to get me any present, y'know," said Applejack, even as she began heartily munching on the muffin in front of her and glaring daggers at her very interested and hungry-looking brother.

Pinkie smiled a tiny, quiet smile. "Yes, I did."

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes: "RARITY, CATCH ME!" For me, that just might be the "Secrets and lies! It's all secrets and lies with those ponies!" of season 2.<em>


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_"So don't be afraid to let them show.  
>Your true colors, true colors, are beautiful<br>Like a rainbow."  
>-Cyndi Lauper, "True Colors"<em>

Outside a small, cozy cottage located right in the center of Ponyville stood four ponies, three young mares and a filly. The cottage was the very picture of friendliness, with well-tended rose bushes along the exterior and a bright, cheery welcome mat set out before the front door. But to the filly, the house might as well have been the gloomiest, creepiest dungeon in all of Equestria.

"I don't know about this," began Scootaloo, frowning darkly.

Rainbow Dash gave the filly a rough pat on the head. "Well, it's a good thing nopony asked you, then, isn't it?"

"But they're just so weird!"

"Hey, now! That ain't polite." Applejack shot a disapproving glare in Scootaloo's general direction, the kind of look only an older sister could bestow. "Besides, they're a perfectly nice couple."

"Actually, kid's got a point," Dash muttered, squinting at the cottage door and rubbing her chin thoughtfully with a forehoof. "The way that unicorn is always sittin' on park benches? _Total _freaky town, AJ. I mean, how does she even bend her legs like that?"

Applejack harrumphed. "Rainbow Dash! You ain't helpin' here!"

It was at this point in the conversation that Pinkie Pie took a step forward and placed a hoof on the pegasus filly's shoulder. Leaning down so that her mouth was right next to Scootaloo's ear, she whispered, "Don't listen to those two silly billies. Lyra and Bon Bon are both super awesome ponies, and you're gonna like them lots."

Scootaloo swallowed nervously. "Do you … do you Pinkie promise? That they'll really like - uh, I mean, that _I'll_ like _them_."

"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Pinkie gave the young pegasus' shoulder a quick squeeze before finally letting go. "And don't worry, Loo-Loo. They're gonna love you just as much as we do!"

Scootaloo smiled a bit despite herself. "Still hate that name. Just so you know."

Pinkie just grinned back at her and, reaching out with a hoof, rapped sharply on the cottage door. Almost instanty, muffled, excited-sounding voices could be heard from inside the house, and a loud crash quickly followed. The three adults outside all traded puzzled looks among one another, while Scootaloo stood ramrod still. A few moments passed, and then the door flew open.

A turquoise unicorn and a cream-colored earth pony appeared in the doorway. A broad grin nearly split the unicorn's face in two, while the earth pony's smile was much smaller and seemed a bit uncertain.

"Howdy, Mrs. and Mrs. Heartstrings," Applejack began in a friendly tone, touching a hoof to the brim of her hat in greeting.

The unicorn snorted, her eyes twinkling. "Mrs. Heartstrings? Oh goddess, no, Mrs. Heartstrings is my _mother_. Just call me Lyra, please." She tilted her head and indicated the earth pony beside her. "And this amazing, beautiful lady right here is Bon Bon."

The earth pony rolled her eyes, but a blush stole its way across her cheeks nonetheless. "Do yourselves a favor, and don't listen to a word she says. _I _sure don't." Tentatively she looked down at Scootaloo and added, in a soft voice, "And you must be little Scootaloo."

Scootaloo just stared. Only after Applejack gave her a none-too-subtle nudge did she remember herself and manage to stammer out, "Oh, uh, yeah. Scootaloo. That's me."

"Well, it's good to meet ya, Scootaloo!" Still beaming, Lyra gave the filly a wink. "I gotta admit, I didn't think the agency would be sending us a pegasus. But never fear, I have everything all planned out!"

Immediately Bon Bon frowned. "What do you _mean_, you have everything-"

"Hang gliders! That's how we're gonna teach you how to fly and stuff. Or maybe kite string. Or bungee cords. I haven't quite decided yet."

Scootaloo couldn't stop the delighted grin from overtaking her face. It was right about then - as Bon Bon began protesting Lyra's plans and Rainbow Dash stepped in with an offer to help with flying lessons, as Pinkie began babbling animatedly about her Pinkie flyer and Applejack tried in vain to shush the over-enthusiastic pink mare - that Scootaloo decided that maybe all of this would turn out okay. Maybe, just maybe, all of this could even end up being pretty cool.

At the very least, it shouldn't be boring.

* * *

><p>She was not going to cry.<p>

No way, no how, not gonna happen. She was Pinkamena Diane Pie, conqueror of Nightmare Moon, defeater of Discord, inventor of the party cannon, and composer of more songs than any other pony in Ponyville - and she absolutely _was not _going to cry.

She made this decision as she walked away from Lyra and Bon Bon's home at a surprisingly lethargic pace, with Rainbow Dash and Applejack flanking her on either side. Given that Dash and Applejack were two of the toughest, roughest ponies she knew, she redoubled her efforts to not give in to the tears that stung in her eyes or that choking feeling that tickled in her throat.

A tiny sniffle escaped the pink earth pony, nonetheless. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes so hard that Pinkie was a bit worried the pegasus might actually sprain a facial muscle.

"She's just living with Lyra and Bon Bon," said Dash, with a dismissive snort. "She's gonna be right down the street from Sugar Cube Corner. It's not like she's been banished to the moon or something."

"I know that." And she did know. She really, truly did. "But it won't be the _same_."

Applejack chuckled. "Nothin' stays the same, sugar cube. Spring turns to summer, summer turns to fall. It's just how the world works."

"I just … I wish … if only I could have … "

Pinkie felt Applejack and Rainbow both lean against her, one on each side, their strength supporting her. A rush of gratitude overtook her, and Pinkie Pie allowed herself to close her eyes and just bask in the warmth and love of her two friends.

"Ya did the right thing, Pinkie." Applejack's voice was sympathetic and kind. "Besides, ain't no way you coulda supported a filly on what you make from the bakery."

Dash enthusiastically chimed in, too. "Yeah, totally! And Lyra and Bon Bon are both pretty cool ponies, so we know Scoots is in good hooves."

"Oh, I'm not worried about _that_. Lyra and Bon Bon are the bestest. It's just …"

Applejack leaned over and gave her a nuzzle. In a quiet voice, the farm pony said, "Ain't no point in dwellin' on what mighta been. Me and you, we both know that pretty well by now, I reckon. Gotta focus on what ya still _do _have and not on what ya lost."

Pinkie nodded sadly. Applejack was right. Applejack was pretty much always right, really, which was kind of comforting and kind of annoying, both at once. But just because Applejack was right, it didn't mean what she was suggesting was necessarily easy.

Pinkie's thoughts were interrupted by a groan that originated from Rainbow Dash.

"Ugh, you two are seriously bumming me out here," Dash groused, throwing in another eye roll for good measure. But even as she complained, a small smile played on her lips. "Enough of this! Let's go to Sugar Cube Corner and see if the Cakes have made anything with those little rainbow sprinkles on 'em."

"Rainbow sprinkles?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.

"Heck, yeah!" Dash sighed dreamily. "_Love _those rainbow sprinkles ..."

As the three ponies began heading for the bakery, Pinkie felt herself cheering up a bit. She loved rainbow sprinkles almost as much as Dash did, after all, and she was spending the afternoon with two of the most awesome friends a pony ever had. Plus, they'd finally found a home for Scootaloo, a home right here in Ponyville, a home with nice ponies who'd look after her and love her and feed her. Pinkie Pie would have to be a very silly filly indeed to feel down in the dumps considering all the reasons she had to be happy.

Because, really, everything was turning out pretty okay.

* * *

><p>A few weeks later, Scootaloo found herself standing outside the door to Sugar Cube Corner, awkwardly shuffling her hooves. The bakery shop had been closed for an entire twenty minutes, and yet she'd remained firmly rooted to the spot. The simple task of raising a hoof and knocking seemed utterly beyond her capabilities.<p>

A soft huff came from her left. "Will ya just go on and knock already?" Applebloom urged, sounding annoyed and giving the pegasus a hard shove with her shoulder.

Scootaloo didn't budge. "What if she doesn't wanna see me?"

"She's Pinkie Pie!" Over to the right, Sweetie Belle laughed. "She always wants to see everypony!"

That was undeniably true. But for some reason, Scootaloo didn't seem to find it very reassuring. A small sigh escaped her.

"Oh, fer Celestia's sake!" Applebloom took a step forward and, before Scootaloo could do anything to stop her, knocked loudly on the bakery door. "There. Now, was that so hard?"

Scootaloo glared at her earth pony friend, harder than she'd ever glared before in her entire life. Applebloom just grinned.

Meanwhile, from inside the shop rang out a familiar, perky voice: "Coming! Be there in three shakes of a dragon's tail!"

Applebloom and Sweetie Belle exchanged highly satisfied looks with one another, while Scootaloo kept right on glaring. Then, Sweetie Belle leaned over and wrapped her legs around the irate pegasus, giving a gentle squeeze. "It's gonna be _fine_, Scootaloo," the unicorn murmured encouragingly, before letting go.

And with that, the two wingless members of the Cutie Mark Crusaders dashed off, just in time for the door to Sugar Cube Corner to swing wide open.

Pinkie Pie looked around for a moment before she seemed to finally catch sight of the pegasus filly standing a few feet away. The older pony's eyes went wide in surprise, and Scootaloo felt her heart begin to sink. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea, after all.

"I can still come over, right?" Scootaloo blurted out, her tone apprehensive. "Even though I'm staying with Bon Bon and Lyra now?"

Pinkie smiled one of her huge, trademark smiles, but the smile looked a bit wobbly at the edges. "You'd _better _still come over, missy! Or else Gummy will be very, very upset with you!" She glanced away as she added, almost as an afterthought, "He misses you a lot, you know."

Staring down at her hooves, Scootaloo whispered, "I miss Gummy, too."

There was a long, uncomfortable silence - and then Scootaloo felt a foreleg grab around her neck and begin dragging her inside the bakery. She didn't bother to resist as, well she knew, resistance was futile. Once upstairs, Pinkie Pie deposited her onto a chair in the apartment.

Pinkie suddenly cocked her head at the young filly. "Say, do you wanna help me plan my next party?"

"A party?" Scootaloo perked up a bit. In all the time she'd been spending with Pinkie over the last several months, for some reason she'd never been asked to help plan a party. "Is it gonna be a 'just because' party, or is it gonna be a party that's for somepony?"

_Please say it's for Rainbow Dash,_ she added silently. Her heart soared with hope. _Please say Rainbow Dash, please say Rainbow Dash, please say Rainbow Dash ..._

"It's for Applejack! Next week is her birthday." Pinkie's eyes grew very thoughtful, almost serious. "I'm gonna need a lot of help, because this has gotta be the biggest and bestest party I've ever thrown, Loo-Loo. Biggest _and _bestest, both."

"How come?"

Pinkie laughed, a great big laugh from the belly, and the laugh echoed happily throughout the entire room. "Well, duh. Because I _promised!_"

**_THE END._**

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes: Yet again, I must give due credit to the Beloved Spouse. While I knew that I wanted somepony other than Pinkie to be the one to adopt Scootaloo, I couldn't decide who. It was my spouse who suggested Lyra and Bon Bon.<em>

_As always, thank you for reading._


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